Why do English born and bred "Indians" support India?

[8ace]

Because India are better at cricket?

 

[goldstone]

One can only hope that it means that they are not planning to stay here long.

 

[Taybha]

i would imagine the reason in the main would be that indians home and abroad regard cricket as their national sport, although they have only won the football world cup once less than the footballing giant that is england

 

[Diar]

I think some of it could be to do with the way they are made to feel outsiders by our society. They are always called Pakis etc so they take it up as a badge of honour.
My mate was born in Donny, of Italian parents. At school he was always called an Itie, so he didnt fight it... he shoved it in their faces whenever Italy beat England. On his visits to Italy they called him Inglesi so, guess what?.. he became a proud Englishman when he was there.
Today there is far less discrimination agains people of Italian blood, he has married a Donny girl and has a family... and he is an England fan.... moreso than me!
I alway tell him that his timing was immaculate!!!!

 

[Bob!]

Neither of my sons were born in Sussex, yet they both support BHA

 

[Giraffe]

It's not really strange at all, it's just showing that when push comes to shove they owe loyalty to India rather than England,you can kid yourself as much as you like , but it's the unpalatable truth.

I guess this is true, sad but true.

And I bet if Lords had chosen to sell to the home side first they'd have all been waving their British passports.

 

[sten_super]

Heritage?

I think this is correct. I'm not convinced that supporting a national team in any sport is about truly being of that nation, so much as who, culturally, you are bought up to support.

Case in point; my mother is Welsh, and really into her rugby (she doesn't care for football), and my dad is English, loves football and can take or leave rugby. Hence I grew up watching football with my English dad and rugby with my Welsh mum. I 'support' England in football and Wales in rugby.

It seems a sizeable number of people of asian heritage support England in the football; however they've grown up with India-supporting parents when the cricket is on, and naturally developed an affinity with that team.

 

[keaton]

One of my grandfathers was Welsh, but I'm English and I support England if they play Wales at any sport.

So why are there thousands of English born at Lords supporting India?

Can of worms duly opened....

How do you know where they're born?

 

[Seagull27]

Could it not simply be because the likelihood is that their parents are Indian? Assuming that the Father is a big cricket fan, the kids, although born in England, grow up with Dad watching and supporting India and therefore support them too? Much like a lot of people who support the football team their Dad does.

Also, as already discussed, it's not difficult to imagine why you might have some pride for the country your family originates from, even if you weren't born there.

 

[larus]

I don't see the problem to this. If I had emigrated to India and then had children there, I would want them to view themselves as English.

As pointed out by Wookie, the Indians are much friendlier than the Pakistanis in this respect; the banter is light-hearted, but not always the same with the Pakistanis.

 

[KZNSeagull]

I don't see anything wrong with it. The Indian and Pakistani community here generally support India and Pakistan when they are playing SA. I would think that it all comes down to whom you identify with most. They will, however, support SA when they are playing England. Read into that what you will!!

It is not beyond the realms of fantasy that those who think it odd would, should they go and live in India, still support England, as may their children and grandchildren.

 

[User removed 4]

I don't see the problem to this. If I had emigrated to India and then had children there, I would want them to view themselves as English.

Then you'd be wrong, it turns a country into nothing more than a vast transit shed with little common ground or shared history, if this weakness disguised as tolerance continues then there is a lot of trouble in store for future generations of this country , just look at the balkans.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

He wouldnt consider himself a proud Englishman if he'd been born and bred in another country, and it was his permanent home, but you knew that really didnt you, but just chose to ignore it as it makes it easier to ignore the unfortunate realities of multi cultural britain and the thousands of individuals who are only English when it suits them.

Oh for f*** sake Bushy. A good friend of mine is a Captain of the Royal Engineers. He is exceedingly proud of his England, so much so that he fights for his country, but he was born and bred in Nigeria.

Case in point, the Indians that are born and bred in England, are clearly very proud of their country of heritage. Why would it not work the other way?

 

[User removed 4]

Oh for f*** sake Bushy. A good friend of mine is a Captain of the Royal Engineers. He is exceedingly proud of his England, so much so that he fights for his country, but he was born and bred in Nigeria.

Case in point, the Indians that are born and bred in England, are clearly very proud of their country of heritage. Why would it not work the other way?

Oh for fucks sake take your blinkers off, we are not on about your friend in the royal engineers, who WASNT born here, we are on about the thousands of people who were born here yet who owe their loyalty to another country, and make no mistake they see thenmselves as Indian first and foremost, and yes I do know lots who feel that way.

 

[HoveHorace]

Because India are better at cricket?

Incorrect (look at the scorecard)

 

[Gritt23]

I was at Lords with a couple of friends were are exactly as you say, born and bred English, but from Indian heritage, and they couldn't exactly put their finger on why they do it, but it seemed to come down to the passion for the sport. They were brought up being told about the great Indian players, while the English influence was far more football. One of them did actually say that he would support England against India in football, but not in cricket.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I think that young people of Indian heritage will see the likes of Tendulkar and Sehwag and Ganguly and Dhoni as role models, and idolise them - they are the most famous Indians on the planet. These people aren't thinking 'I like cricket, which team shall I support?", they are thinking "Sachin is my hero, which team does he play for?"

So take nationality out of it, that doesn't matter, its more that there are virtually no heroic British Indians that can be role models for these young guys

 

[Giraffe]

But the England side is full of role models?

I think that young people of Indian heritage will see the likes of Tendulkar and Sehwag and Ganguly and Dhoni as role models, and idolise them - they are the most famous Indians on the planet. These people aren't thinking 'I like cricket, which team shall I support?", they are thinking "Sachin is my hero, which team does he play for?"

So take nationality out of it, that doesn't matter, its more that there are virtually no heroic British Indians that can be role models for these young guys

 

[Munkfish]

But the England side is full of role models?

However not British Indian.

 

[User removed 4]

But the England side is full of role models?

Yes but they are not asian so therefore cannot be rolemodels, there's me thinking that we were supposed to ignore race .